A Mercenary of Ilia
by Link015
Summary: A mercenary. One who has pretty no other way of obtaining gold without risking life and limb for a cause that she might not even believe in. Ilia always had people like that. If one died or disappeared, another could easily take its place.
1. Chapter 1: A Mercenary of Ilia

Chris: Totally blame Writer Awakened for this one. Actually, blame his fic, Ilian Men's Knights Brigade. It made me think of mercenaries. Thanks a lot, WA. I'm going to hunt you down. Just kidding. I wouldn't do that. Anyway, read on!

Note: Don't own Fire Emblem. And there's a little part about the Men's Knights Brigade. It's not required reading, but read WA's fic anyway. It's freaking hilarious, even if it's a little…perverted.

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Chapter 1: A Mercenary of Ilia**

It was hard living in Ilia. Fierce blizzards and heavy snow all year round, with no sign of warmth or sun. The fields were choked with ice and sustained no life besides a hardy weed that was of no use whatsoever. Ilia was a farmer's nightmare, with only few areas suitable for growing some sort of food. It was a harsh land and its inhabitants were equally as harsh. Why they chose to make a life in the forsaken country, nobody knew, but Ilia was their home and its citizens would never abandon it.

'_Why must we continue living here?' _Rachel, a pegasus knight of Ilia stared out of the frosted window of the Knights' Headquarters. She gazed at the barren land, the perpetual frown on her face as she thought about why she and her friends were to suffer the harsh snows of Ilia. _'Is it our fate to be bound to this living hell?'_

Rachel took a glance behind her to look at the other pegasus knights that were gathered around. They were having fun, playing a prank on one of the new girls to join their order. She stifled a sigh and brushed back her braided, wheat-blond hair. The only things that came out of Ilia were mercenaries, mercenaries who would fight for pretty much any cause as long as they were paid enough to send home to Ilia. It was a dirty trade, a trade in lives, but it was this trade that helped the villagers continue living. It was the only path that was open to them.

"Hey Rachel, why the gloomy face?" Callista, another pegasus knight and a good friend of Rachel's, stepped up and looked at her friend, smiling broadly. Rachel looked at her good-natured friend, a tall teenager with medium-length purple hair and sparkling brown eyes. "Don't worry. We'll bring back enough money to pay for your brother's healing."

"I know that…" Rachel whispered. Her brother had come down with a sickness a couple of days back and she had been scraping up every last coin she had to pay the clerics to heal him. She took in a deep breath and let it out in a deep sigh. "Callista, why do we have to continue living here? Why don't we move to somewhere else, like Bern or Sacae? It has to be better over there."

"Why? Well, this is our home." Callista responded, looking slightly confused. "And it's not like it'll be really easy to move. We might have to leave our pegasi behind."

'_We'd have to leave everything behind. But it's not like we've ever had much…right?'_ Rachel thought.

"Besides, we should be grateful that we don't have to work with the Ilian Men's Knights Brigade. I heard that they have drawn pictures of pegasus knights and spend the whole day just dreaming about sex and food." Callista whispered, shuddering slightly. "It would be horrible to have to work with them. Can you imagine? Every day, they'd be trying to grope us."

Rachel managed a wan smile. "I don't doubt it. The Men's Brigade doesn't really have much to do, since they have nothing special to offer us. I don't think there's a single good warrior in the whole lot."

"There! That's the Rachel I know!" Callista grinned and hugged her friend quickly. "Anyway, I came to tell you that you have a mission today. I just received the message. Some sort of big shot druid on Dread Isle is asking for mercenaries to turn back an assault of some sort. You're going to be leaving with the rest of your wing. With enough luck, you'll get paid enough to have enough money to heal your brother!"

This time, Rachel's smile was pure. "Whew, that's good news to hear. Dread Isle, huh? Wasn't Fiora dispatched there earlier? At the request of some Lord Pent, right?"

"Yeah. I wonder how she's doing…" Callista was thoughtful, thinking about the teal-haired pegasus commander.

"Same here. She was one of the best here. When she returns, Ilia will prosper." Rachel said. "Still, I wish there was some way I could leave. I can't stand living like this anymore. We get no respect and live no better than the animals. It's hard enough trying to stay alive in this hell. How can we continue living like this?"

Callista's smile disappeared as she thought about her friend's words. "I don't like saying it, but you've got a point. We barely even eat, since all our food goes to sustain the villagers. Don't tell anyone, but sometimes I even envy the Men's Brigade. At least they seem happy."

"It doesn't take much to please a man." Rachel replied dryly and the two of them laughed. "Anyway, enough of this dreary talk. I'm set to fly. When I get back, we'll see what we can do about moving out of here."

"But what about our families?" Callista asked worriedly. "I don't think I can raise enough money to take my parents with me. And I don't want to leave them behind her. It would be the gravest dishonor to abandon one's parents. And what about your brother? He can barely move, let alone walk."

"Don't worry. I've been planning this for a while. I've managed to scrape enough money to get both of our families out of here." Rachel looked pained for a second. "And…if I don't come back, I've hidden the money at the back of my drawer. You know, where we keep our little mementos."

"Heh, show me when you come back. You're too good to die out there. I'll be waiting for you." Callista patted her friend on the back one last time before turning to leave. "Bring back lots of money! We're counting on you!"

"Hah! No problem. I think I can handle this." Rachel responded, laughing. She walked towards the stables to saddle her pegasus, thinking of when she would be able to return and leave Ilia forever. But…things never work out how they're supposed to, especially when left in the hands of chance.

_---_

Rachel shuddered briefly as she envisioned her employer in her mind. The man who had hired them, Nergal, was, to put it simply, hideous. A worn, black turban was wrapped around the greater portion of his hair, with only a small shock of green to show that he actually possessed hair. The turban dipped over his right eye and she could see the veins that throbbed around the eye, pulsing with some sort of magic. She would have sworn that he was insane, except he sounded like he was in the right state of mind when he commanded him to kill Eliwood, a lordling of Lycia, and his companions.

'_Killing a noble…For some sort of madman. How low have the knights sunk? We can't refuse the job because he offered such a humongous sum and already paid most of it in advance. So we're duty-bound to follow his orders. That's it. After this, I'm leaving the mercenary life forever.'_ Rachel thought determinedly as she grasped the leather reins she held in her hand. Nergal had sent her little troop to a couple of ruins near the center of Dread Isle, where she was to be commanded by a Sage named Aion, who looked just as ugly as Nergal. She was currently hovering behind a small range of mountains, gripping her lance tightly in her hand.

Her pegasus let out a nervous whinny and she stroked his head reassuringly. "It's okay, Thyme. Don't worry. We'll be okay."

"Here they come!"

"Let's go!" Rachel spurred her pegasus onward, waving her lance at the other pegasus knights. They followed her lead, flying over the mountains and bursting upon small army that had materialized beneath. She dived downwards on the unsuspecting soldiers, intent on following her orders, no matter how repulsive she found them to be. As she was diving, however, an arrow nicked the side of her face and she quickly reversed her dive to get out of range. "Alert! Archers!"

Two of the other pegasus knights heard her warning and managed to halt their dive before they could be attacked. However, the third pegasus knight didn't manage to adjust and an arrow struck her mount, sending the both of them in a long plummet to the rocky hills below them.

"Dammit!" Rachel always hated losing a fellow soldier, especially one that had been following her orders. It made her feel incompetent and weak. She never liked feeling incompetent and weak. "Knights! Regroup!"

The remaining two pegasus knights joined up with her. _'This is stupid. My group is too small for a job like this. Why did Nergal hire us? Surely he knew the size o f Eliwood's army. It's as if he hired us so that we would lose…Maybe he wanted us to coordinate with the rest of his army.'_

She looked at the point where Aion's mages were to attack. No one was there. She could only see empty grassland and plains in front of her. A sharp lance of fear stabbed in her heart and she felt like turning tail. Only the thought of her brother stopped her from fleeing the battlefield. _'No way. Why hire soldiers just so they can die? That can't be right.'_

"Rachel, what do we do?" One of her fellow knights yelled at her.

"Uh…" Rachel's legs felt weak and she had to grip extra tightly on Thyme's reins. "H-Hold steady! They can't attack us from the air! We still retain the high ground if we stay up here. Pick your fights carefully and make sure you win! Remember, we are Knights of Ilia! Our families are counting on us!"

Rachel looked down at Eliwood's army. After the initial surprise of the attack, his army had quickly gotten organized and a man she recognized as a tactician had split up the army into two groups. The main group, the one that contained Eliwood, was to move south around the mountains to tackle those soldiers. The secondary force, a small group containing at least one archer, would keep an eye on the pegasus knights.

'_Tall odds. Too tall.'_ Rachel thought to herself. _'But maybe…'_

"Opposing pegasus knights!"

'**_What?'_** Rachel's head snapped up as she spotted a familiar-looking girl heading towards her on a pegasus. One of her own soldiers moved forward to deal with the newcomer, yelling a battle oath. Rachel squinted, trying to spot the identity of this pegasus knight. _'It's Florina! But what's she doing here? She's only an apprentice knight! She isn't even qualified for regular missions yet! Dammit, **why?**'_

She motioned to the other pegasus knight and the two of them charged at Florina, who was, amazingly enough, beating back her opponent. As she reached the orchid-haired knight, Florina defeated her opponent with a quick thrust through the stomach.

"Go after Eliwood! I'll handle Florina!" Rachel's remaining companion charged straight at Florina, her lance positioned for a killing strike. Rachel wanted nothing more to stop her, but all she could do is watch as Florina barely managed to dodge the attack. "Go, Rachel! Remember our families in Ilia!"

Rachel nodded, turning her pegasus around and heading for the main attack force that was moving on Aion. The blond-haired knight gulped and refused to turn around, knowing that if she did, she wouldn't be able to turn back. _'We're fighting our own people. Our friends. How did it ever come to this? Why must we live like this? Why can't we be free of this curse? Why do we have to fight?'_

"Rachel?"

Rachel looked up from her reverie and felt her heart stick in her throat. Flying in front of her was Fiora, the commander of the 5th Wing of pegasus knights. Fiora had been her friends and one of the main reasons that Rachel herself had become a knight. She had never held any motivations for being a knight, but Fiora had convinced her. And now she was going to have to fight against her. It was so sick. They were fighting for the same reason, yet they were fated to face each other in combat.

"Hello Fiora." Rachel nodded, tightening her grip on her lance. "I guess…this is it, huh? For Ilia…"

"Rachel, please, we don't have to fight. Throw down your weapon. I can get Eliwood to pardon you. You can join our army." Fiora said, her lance pointed to the ground.

Rachel laughed humorlessly. "Listen to you, Fiora. You of all people should know better. If I were to surrender, what would that say to the rest of the world? That the Knights of Ilia are cowards? We wouldn't get hired. Our reputation would plunge. All because I wanted to continue living. What is more important? One life? Or the life of a whole country?" She pointed her lance at Fiora's heart. "Well? No matter the circumstances, we are mercenaries of Ilia and our number one loyalty is to our employers. Raise your weapon, Fiora."

"Very well, then." Fiora nodded, flicking a strand of hair out of her eyes. "For Ilia."

"For Ilia." Rachel nodded, before spurring her pegasus onwards. Fiora met her charge and deflected Rachel's thrust with a quick parry move that put Rachel's lance out of line. As quick as lightning, Fiora followed up with a sweep of her lance, smacking Rachel's back with the wooden haft of the lance. Rachel coughed and quickly turned to get ready for another round.

"Hyah!" Rachel screamed as she charged at Fiora again, aiming her lance to the right of Fiora's heart. Fiora once again met her attack and repulsed it, scoring a heavy gash across Rachel's side. Rachel gasped in pain but didn't let the wound distract her. Halting her pegasus, she swept her lance in a wide-angle arc, colliding against Fiora's weapon. Rachel grimaced and recovered, turning her body out of the way of Fiora's next thrust.

"You've gotten better." Fiora commented quickly as she brought her lance back close to her body.

"I had to." Rachel replied, watching Fiora warily. "There was no choice." She immediately dived under Fiora, intent on distracting Fiora by getting out of her line of sight. However, she never got that chance. As she was diving, an arrow flew out of nowhere and struck her pegasus's left.

'_A second archer?'_ Rachel thought frantically as Thyme let out a great whinny of pain. She tried to help her mount get steady, but another arrow flew up from the ground and lodged firmly in her side. She bit her lip to restrain from screaming and she struggled with the reins. Dimly, she was aware that Fiora was at her side, trying to help her remain in flight.

However, all of her efforts were in vain as Thyme crashed into the ground and Rachel was tossed off of him. She flew in the air momentarily before crashing onto the hard earth, hearing the familiar snap of cracking bones. The arrow in her side snapped and Rachel winced as more pain flooded her as the remaining stub of wood was driven deeper into her body. She stopped rolling and faced at the sky, breathing shallowly. The pain in her side was excruciating and she couldn't seem to move her arms.

Rachel closed her eyes, accepting her fate. Still, a few tears couldn't help falling from her eyes as she thought of her family back home. _'Brother…Caroline…I'm sorry…'_

There was movement at her side, but Rachel didn't feel like opening her eyes. In fact, she didn't feel like doing much of anything…

_---_

Nergal smiled to himself as he walked down the bloody battlefield. "Certainly not the results I wanted, but fruitful nonetheless. Some of these fighters have great quintessence. Perfect for creating my morphs."

He stopped in front of the body of a pegasus knight, her blond hair matted with blood. The druid kneeled down next to her and lifted her wrist, feeling for a pulse. His eyebrow rose and he regarded the fallen pegasus knight with a small measure of respect. "Still alive. A strong spark of life. I wonder if she will be usuable…"

Nergal lifted the bloodstained body off of the ground. "There is always a chance. And if she should die, then I will just use her remaining life essence to craft myself a Morph. Certainly not a high-caliber morph, but an acceptable one at least."

The pegasus knight's chest rose by a miniscule fraction, still breathing after all of the wounds that her body had suffered. Nergal smirked and examined the most dangerous of the wounds, a broken half of an arrow that had entered her side. It wouldn't be too hard to cure, but it would require some work. Nergal quickly used his powers to warp back into his castle, where he laid the body on a cold, stone table.

"Now, my dear…Tell me…What binds you to life?"

Rachel's lips moved. "For Ilia…"

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Chris: Stupid story idea. I swear. I planned on making this a one-shot, with Nergal killing Rachel and taking her quintessence. However, now it's something totally different and now I'm totally motivated to update except I don't think I'll update that fast and now I'm totally confused and stuff. Oh well. It was awesome writing it, because it seemed like my fingers were moving of their own volition. Like they were sentient beings…OMFG.

Drop a review please and tell me what you think! Hopefully, I'll keep this short. (Yeah right.) And chances are I'm going to make Rachel the person that does all my disclaimer stuff, because I'm tired of saying it myself. I'm lazy.


	2. Chapter 2: Controlled Destiny

Chris: Well, here's a new chapter for my newest story! Why? Because the idea is still fresh in mind, so there. Anyway, thanks to all that reviewed and I hope you enjoy this new installment!

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**Chapter 2: Controlled Destiny**

The moment Callista entered the Knight's headquarters she knew something was wrong. The whole atmosphere was subdued and many of the knights were gazing distantly out into the bleak wasteland of Ilia. Callista felt a dull fear slip into her as she looked at the disheartened soldiers, hoping to find some reason as to why they were all acting like this. She walked up another one her friends, a young green-haired girl with a face that seemed too young for her eighteen years of age.

"Hey, Jessica. What's going on?"

Jessica turned to Callista, her reddish-brown eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Rachel…We just received a report from Dread Isle. Rachel and her whole division were killed while working on their mission. I know it's not right to cry, but I can't help it. It's not fair, Callista."

Callista's face paled and she had to steady herself briefly. She gulped in a deep breath and felt something explode within her body. She stumbled to one of the ragged, torn couches nearby and let her head sink into her hands. She shuddered, feeling the tears fall out of her eyes. _'Rachel…What am I going to tell your brother? He's only seven…Will he have to go without a family now? What about our plan? Why didn't you live?'_

"Callista, compose yourself." Stephanie, the commander of the 10th wing of pegasus knights, said sternly. She walked up to Callista and pulled the crying knight upwards. Callista stared at her commander bleakly, with tracks of tears showing on her pale skin. Stephanie sighed and patted her on the shoulder lightly. "Rachel died doing her duty. Now, we must show the same amount of valor, loyalty, and courage at she had shown. And then there will be time for grief."

Callista nodded shakily, taking in a deep breath. She began to hiccup and she smiled weakly with embarrassment. Rubbing a hand across her eyes, Callista bowed briefly to her commander. "You're right…But may I speak to Rachel's brother? I need to tell him the news. I was Rachel's best friend…"

Stephanie's stern expression melted. "Of course…Go ahead, Callista. We aren't doing anything now."

"Thank you…" Callista ran out of the headquarters and into the frigid cold. She shivered briefly as she ran towards to Rachel's house. _'I've got to keep moving. Perhaps I can forget. But so many people have died…Why do we consign ourselves to such a fate? I can't handle all of this anymore. But I have to…I need to. For Ilia and for everyone who died.'_

_---_

"Uhhhh…" Rachel groaned softly as she awoke from unconsciousness. Her mind was fuzzy and she could barely think of anything, let alone notice that she had been chained against the wall. Her head lolled forward on her shoulders and her wheat-blond hair flowed over her eyes. "Where am I?"

Feeling slowly came back to her and memories of past events started to flood through her mind. The battle was hovering in her mind, but she couldn't recognize anything. She remembered getting attacked and crashing into the ground, but beyond that, she couldn't place faces or a location. Everything was blurry and disjointed. _'That's right…I should be dead. But as I can see, I'm not. Who saved me? My side doesn't hurt anymore. I'm breathing, right? Who healed me? Are my arms in chains? I can't see anything. It's just so dark here. What am I supposed to do? I'm so lost. I can't think of anything. What should I do? Are my legs chained too?'_

Rachel lifted her head and shook it slightly to chase away all the hair that had settled over her bleary eyes. She seemed to be in sort of dungeon, hanging on the wall by rusted, cold metal links that kept her from touching the ground. The air was cold, although it wasn't as cold as Ilia – _Ilia? Where's that? My home, right? – _and the only source of light came through a barred square in the wall. There was some sort of circle carved into the ground in front of her, with criss-crossing lines inside of the circle.

"Ah, so you're awake?" Some man with a turban around half of his face walked towards her and Rachel had to squint to bring the wavering sight to focus.

'_Nergal? Is that his name? I can't remember much…but that's his name.'_ Rachel thought dazedly as she stared at him. She tried to respond to his question, but her mouth felt like it was full of some thick liquid. Her lips opened slightly and she managed to say, "Nergal?"

"You remember me." The druid opened his arms wide and smiled wickedly. "I'm glad to see that. I suppose you don't remember much else about how you were about to die? My form of healing has that unfortunate side effect."

Rachel nodded her head slowly, still confused about her surroundings. "Why…am I here?"

"I saw you at the battlefield and you were still alive, so I tried to help you." Nergal shrugged. "Enough about me. How do you feel?"

Rachel felt a sharp sense of gratitude towards Nergal, but a part of her felt that the only reason he was so nice was so he could manipulate her in some way. "I'm…tired. I failed my mission…I need to return home."

"You don't want to return home to Ilia." Nergal said pleasantly. "Remember? You always dreamed about leaving Ilia behind and starting a new life. Besides, you wouldn't want to return there anyway. They're the reason you were almost killed. They wanted you to die. You would be a martyr for the Ilian people, so that they would continue fighting the hopeless fight."

Nergal's words sounded wrong to Rachel, but her dazed mind couldn't piece it together. Squinting again to focus the shaking image of Nergal, she nodded again. "You're probably right. I've always wanted to leave Ilia. It's a good thing that I'm here."

"Yes…Now, how about you live with me? Valor Isle is an untamed wilderness, truly different from the frozen wasteland of Ilia. I'm certain you will find the wilds of Valor Isle…charming." He smiled again and Rachel noted that it seemed out of place on his cruel face. "I will have my servants prepare lodging for you immediately."

"Why am I chained?" Rachel suddenly remembered the chains around her limbs and shook them weakly to emphasize that fact.

"I'm sorry. During the healing, you were most violent and I had to chain you to make sure that you wouldn't indirectly harm yourself." Nergal shook his head ruefully. "But now that you're awake, I think it will be okay." He walked over to her chains and carefully unlocked Rachel from the bonds. She stepped down on the stone tiles uncertainly, almost stumbling to the floor. Nergal helped her stand and Rachel slowly hobbled forward, her legs feeling unnaturally weak.

"What about my pegasus? And do you have any other clothes?" Rachel asked, the thought suddenly coming to her head.

"Your pegasus is doing just fine and there will be a change of clothes inside of your room. Now…" Nergal snapped his fingers and a bland looking girl appeared next to him. "Take Rachel to her room. Make sure she gets a lot of sleep."

"Yes, Master. Right this way." The girl took Rachel's arm and led her out of the dungeons. Nergal watched Rachel leave for a moment and when she was out of sight, he beckoned to a shadow. The shadow moved, revealing a figure that stepped towards Nergal.

"Master Nergal. Eliwood is approaching the ruins." A tall, handsome man with sparkling golden eyes bowed towards Nergal, his ponytail of night black hair falling over his shoulder. "What do you propose we do?"

"Let them come, Ephidel." Nergal laughed. "They will bring Ninian and thus fall into my trap. I trust that our honored guest is still being treated fairly?"

"Lord Elbert is inside of his cell, master." Ephidel reported.

"Good, good." Nergal laughed again. "You brought back the corpses from the battle, correct? With enough, we can produce morphs of good caliber."

"Yes, of course." Ephidel bowed again. "Just one question, Master. Why did you revive that knight when you could have simply killed her?"

Nergal glared at Ephidel for a second, angry at the morph's intrusion. However, it quickly faded and Nergal's face took on an almost thoughtful expression. "You see, Ephidel, there is one thing that I've learned about fighting. There is almost nothing more psychologically damaging than fighting against a friend, a comrade. Especially when it is clear that neither will back down for the other. You see…" Nergal unwound his turban and revealed the covered eye, one that was damaged beyond repair and constantly moved because of the random nerve impulses that were shot through it. "It's something that I've learned in my travels."

_---_

"Fiora?"

"Huh, Florina? What are you doing here? You should be sleeping." Fiora turned around and looked concernedly at her younger sister. Florina was dressed in her nightgown, but judging by her eyes and posture, it seemed that Florina was not ready to sleep at all.

'_Neither am I, actually.'_ Fiora thought amusedly. She had tried sleeping a couple times earlier, but she couldn't seem to calm the storm of emotions and thoughts that were running through her mind. It was foolish, but she could never handle fighting her fellow countrymen. She had a sneaking suspicion that Florina was here for the exact same reason. "Is this about meeting Rachel?"

"Y-Yes…" Florina nodded quickly and walked in the tent. She sat down on Fiora's cot and looked at her sister with tearing eyes. "I'm d-doing my duty…But why does my duty consist of k-killing my friends? I don't know w-what to do…."

"Neither do I, Florina. Neither do I…" Fiora shook her head sadly. "I know that it's a certainty that we will fight out countrymen in battle. But you never get used to that fact, do you? Even I, the one who adhered to the rules repeatedly, couldn't help thinking that it would be possible to bend the rules slightly so that Rachel could live. But no…We were trapped. The moment we laid eyes on each other, we were condemned to fight. If only I had been somewhere else…"

"Excuse me. May I come in?" A soft, male voice echoed from outside the tent.

"Oh, certainly." Fiora answered.

The tent flap opened and the tactician walked in, a thoughtful frown on his face. He nodded distractedly at Florina for a while before finding a chair and sitting down on it. Closing his eyes, he sighed deeply and shook his head sadly. "Look…I'm sorry about what happened today."

"Sorry for what?" Fiora asked.

"Hmph…" The tactician cracked a sarcastic smile. "You should know. I'm not deaf, nor am I blind. I wasn't thinking too much about it that day. I didn't think your friend would be chasing after us. I should have realized that her target was Eliwood."

"I-It's not your f-fault…" Florina whispered, but he held up a hand to stall her.

"I've told myself that millions of times, but that doesn't keep me from feeling guilty. But…now I'm worried for other reasons. From what I could tell, Rachel was leading a pitiful regiment of knights. Surely Nergal would have asked for a whole wing if he was determined to stop us. But he asked for a fragment of one. He _must_ have known that Rachel and the others would die at the fight. But why would he hire them if he knew they were going to die?" He looked thoughtful for a moment. "He knew of our skill. Either he honestly expected us to lose or he hired them all as bait of some kind. I don't know why though. I'm going to go back to the battlefield tomorrow to see if there's anything unusual I can find. I'm sure Eliwood and Hector wouldn't mind a couple of days to psyche themselves up for the battle ahead."

"May we accompany you?" Fiora asked. "Even though I don't like looking at the ruins of battle, I can't help but feel curious about your words. Do you truly think Nergal hired mercenaries so they will die?"

"If there's a man who would do such a thing, he would be it." The tactician shook his head sadly. "Anyway, thank you for offering to come. It might be dangerous and having you by my side makes me feel safer. What about you, Florina? Are you coming?"

"O-Okay…" Florina nodded timidly, her hands clasped over her lap.

"Okay, good. Let me explain this to Eliwood to see if he'll allow an expedition like this. I think he'll let us go while the main army marches on Dragon's Gate. He's really worried about his father." He stood up and bowed briefly to the two pegasus knights, his blue eyes shining with curiosity. "Thanks for your help and once again, I'm sorry."

_---_

Rachel nervously stepped into her room, looking around for anything suspicious or dangerous. She didn't know why she was doing so, but it seemed to be some instinctive reaction that occurred every time she went someplace new. The servant had already left a long time ago and Rachel felt kind of lost in the large ruins. A small, relieved smile flitted on her face as she saw that the room was quite elegant in a wild sort of way. It certainly looked cozy, with a soft, feather bed that she had always dreamed of sleeping in. There was also a wooden dresser against one of the stone walls and windows cut into the rock allowed the bright sunlight to filter through. She walked up to the mirror and noticed that her hair had fallen out of its customary braids. She unconsciously began styling her hair back into braids when her eyes fell upon the gown that had been set aside for her.

Her hands fell away from her hair and she slowly walked towards it, slightly stunned. Her hands reached out slowly and grasped the fabric, marveling at the utter softness of the dress. _'Silk…Pure silk…This must have cost a fortune. Silk can't be grown here…It has to be imported from other countries. How can Nergal afford such extravagance in a place like this?'_ Her fingers caressed the silk as she examined the gown.

It was cut in a style similar to what the Knights of Ilia wore, except that the dress was slightly longer and ended at the knees. The whole gown was a nice color, a mix of navy blue and black that enticed Rachel. Along with the dress were elbow-length gloves, a lovely crimson-red color that just seemed to call out to her. The only thing that disturbed her was the fact that the dress was such a dark color. She dimly remembered that in Ilia, the knights were given white dresses to show that they were pure. Anyone with a black or dark-colored uniform was often known to have some stains on their soul. However, Rachel quickly dismissed the whole notion as folly and continued to admire the clothing.

Rachel gulped and put the dress back on the bed where she found it. "No…I can't wear this…It's too valuable. This dress alone could buy enough food for all of Ilia."

"Surely that's an exaggeration."

"Huh?" Rachel spun at the noise and saw a charming, young man with a cunning smile. His golden eyes sparkled mischievously as he walked up to Rachel and gently took her hand, kissing it softly. Rachel blushed red and quickly withdrew her hand, uncertain of what she should say.

The man straightened and smiled at Rachel. "Do not worry about the cost of these garments. My master only desires that you remain happy while you are living here."

"But…" Rachel looked longingly back at the dress. "I really can't. It doesn't seem right…"

"Nonsense!" The man laughed. "I'm sure you will look beautiful in it. Give it a try! That dress was made for you. It belongs to you, Rachel. It's a gift from my master."

"O-Okay." Rachel nodded timidly, overcome by the generosity. "If it's okay…Can you please leave while I change?"

"Oh, certainly! I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone while you are getting undressed." He bowed briefly before leaving and closing the door behind him.

Once she was certain that she was not going to be disturbed, Rachel went back to the dress and admired it for a couple of more moments. Holding it to her chest, Rachel marveled at the fact that the man had been correct. It _did_ seem as if the dress was made exactly for her. She couldn't help feeling slightly creeped out by the fact though, but she quickly shrugged that aside. Rachel gently placed the dress back on the bed and began undressing. It was only a few moments before the silk dress was on her body and Rachel felt like she was in the blessed realm of St. Elimine. It felt like she was being caressed by the air, a lovely, chilling sensation that sent excited shivers down your spine. The dress fit her perfectly and she did an experimental spin, laughing softly to herself as the dress twirled around her legs. She slid on the gloves as well and realized that they were also made of silk. Rachel stepped in front of a mirror and examined herself.

'_Wow…I can't believe this is me…This is amazing.'_ Rachel heard a knock behind her and she opened it, revealing the smiling face of the man from earlier. "You have to thank your master for me. This dress is amazing. I can't believe he's just giving it away!"

"Heh heh…My master said you would like his gift. Now, he just wants you to rest for a while." He bowed. "I'm glad everything is to your liking. If you would like to explore the island for a while, you are certainly able to. Farewell." He departed once again, leaving Rachel alone.

'_Explore…'_ Rachel thought. _'Yeah, that would be nice.'_

She quickly donned her armor and tugged on her thigh-high boots. Her lance was lying against one of the walls and she grabbed it, not questioning why it was in her room. She caressed her dress one last time before departing, intent on going back to where she was supposed to have died. There was something, something important, tugging at the back of her head and she knew it had to have something to do with the battle. She would find out herself and then she could return to Nergal and offer him her services in gratitude for his generosity.

Unbeknownst to her, Nergal was watching her as she left her room. A wicked grin graced his face as he saw that she was wearing the dress and gloves he had designed specifically for her. He chuckled to himself knowingly, happy that all his plans were going as scheduled. Eliwood would bring Ninian to him, the dragons would be unleashed, and Rachel would be bound to his service forever. Her sense of honor prevented her from doing anything else and her confused mind wouldn't be able to piece out what was going on until long after the effects of his magic had completely reworked her mind. These were _his_ ruins and all would soon be in his control.

_---_

"…" Fiora gazed at the bleak landscape, signs of their recent battle still in sight. Broken swords and spears littered the blood-soaked ground and scraps of armor were tossed on the ground in a haphazard arrangement. Something seemed off though, but Fiora couldn't exactly place it.

"There are no bodies."

"Huh?" Fiora turned to the tactician, who was frowning. "What?"

"There are no bodies. Even if the vultures were to feed on the corpses, we would still see bones around. But there are no bodies around. Somebody was here before us and took all the dead away."

Fiora looked around and realized that he was right. Besides the armor and weapons, there was nothing to show that a major fight had taken place. It was uncanny and a feeling of dread slowly spread through her body. She swallowed and tightened her grip on her lance. "Florina! Stay together. There's something wrong here."

"R-Right!" Her timid sister quickly reached her side, holding her thin lance in front of her nervously. "Do you t-think we'll be a-attacked?"

"No…The bodies were taken a relatively long time from now. At least this confirms my suspicions. Nergal hired those mercenaries to die. I doubt he had any intention of actually winning. He hired the knights to die and carted their bodies off somewhere." The tactician closed his eyes in sorrow and placed a hand over his eyes. "What can I do against an enemy as ruthless as this? Any tactic I can create is hampered by my conscience. I cannot and will not foolishly risk lives. But Nergal…Apparently, he can risk as many lives as he wishes…"

"My friends were killed for absolutely no reason?" Fiora asked softly, calmly. The tactician looked at her in alarm for a second before nodding slowly. Fiora's grip tightened on her lance and she began to shake from barely constrained rage. She let out a scream and slammed the head of her lance into the hard earth, snapping the iron tip from the wooden haft. "Nergal! I swear on the lives of my comrades, I will kill you for your injustice to Ilia!"

Fiora took in a couple of deep breaths, shuddering with anger. She looked up slowly and saw that someone new had appeared. She looked distantly familiar, but seemed a little strange with a dark-blue and black dress and long, crimson gloves. Her hair was like the color of wheat and while she didn't look dangerous, her posture suggested that she was always ready for battle, albeit reluctantly.

Fiora's eyes widened and the broken lance slid out of her nerveless hands. _"Rachel?"_

* * *

Chris: Ooooh…Confrontation! What will happen next? Will Rachel finally remember what happened? Or will she continue to be bound to Nergal? Find out next time when I update, which could be anytime!

Review please and leave any suggestions or comments you might have! Until next time! (What am I talking about?)


	3. Chapter 3: Mistaken

Chris: Here's a new update! Now you'll be able to see what happens next between Fiora and Rachel! And what new plans Nergal has in store for everyone! Read on and enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 3: Mistaken**

Callista paused outside of Rachel's house, her hand half-raised to knock on the door. The purple-haired knight lowered her hand slowly, scared to have to tell Rachel's brother that he was alone. Fear and uncertainty struck her and she was compelled to just turn around and let the kid discover Rachel's death by himself. But she couldn't turn around. It wouldn't be fair to Rachel or to her brother. Nervously, she knocked twice on the wooden door.

"Coming!" An enthusiastic voice answered her knock and Callista felt her stomach plummeting. How would be she be able to tell him? It was impossible. How could she ever explain that Rachel was dead?

"Hi Callista!" Rachel's younger brother, a bright-eyed youngster with a mat of blond hair that spiked all around his head opened the door. He peeked behind Callista and frowned slightly. "Where's Rachel?"

Callista ignored the question, instead bustling inside and shutting the door before any more of the chill wind could move inside. Taking off her woolen gloves, she mock glared at Rachel's brother. "Samuel! You should be in bed!"

"But being in bed is boring!" Samuel whined. "I can take care of myself!"

"Sure you can." Callista snorted and ruffled his spiky hair. "Get back into bed. That's the only way you'll be able to get better. You don't want to throw up again, do you?"

"No…" Samuel said. "It was disgusting."

"Good. Then get back in bed." Callista pushed the young boy back towards his room. When she heard the lock click, Callista immediately headed for Rachel's room and walked towards her dresser. Pulling out one of the drawers, Callista pried open a secret container that had been installed. She pawed through the various knick-knacks, things that the both of them had collected in their travelers. An interesting-looking rock from Bern, a bow crafted by the nomads of Sacae, a small medallion that they had found in the markets of Lycia. Callista pulled out another momento and her eyes misted over with tears. It was a simple, ink portrait that the two of them had obtained in Etruria. On the spur of the moment, after a successful mission, Rachel had suggested that they get a portrait of themselves done. Callista could still remember that moment, with all the sights and sounds. The sound of Rachel's cheery laughter as they strolled through the streets of Etruria's capital, the frantic chatter of various merchants and shopkeepers, the delightful smell of roasting meats.

"Callista? What are you doing?"

Callista turned around, clutching the portrait close to her chest. Samuel was standing there, sucking on his index finger (a bad habit he could never get rid of). He walked up to Callista and looked at her confusedly.

"What's wrong, Callista?" He cocked his head to the side.

"Oh…Oh Samuel…" Callista dropped the portrait and hugged Samuel tightly, tears falling out of her eyes. "Samuel…I'm so, so sorry."

_---_

"_Rachel?"_

Rachel stared at the woman in front of her, trying to place a face with a name. It was obvious that this person knew who she was, so they must've met somehow. A list of faces ran through her mind and she finally managed to remember who she was. "Fiora? Is that you?"

"Rachel! I thought…I thought you were dead!" Fiora gasped out, still stunned by the events.

"I thought I was dead myself. But Nergal saved me." Rachel replied.

"Nergal?" Fiora exchanged glances with a man that Rachel didn't know and another pegasus knight that Rachel immediately recognized as Fiora's younger sister.

"That can't be right. Nergal wouldn't save someone without some sort of purpose." The man said, shaking his head. "No, the Nergal we know would never save another's life. He is too ruthless for something such as that."

"What are you talking about? Nergal was nice enough to save my life and he also gave me these new clothes! I have no idea what you are talking about, but I won't let you insult my rescuer like that." Rachel picked up her lance and pointed it at Fiora. "Draw your blade, Fiora."

"Rachel, what are you doing?" Fiora asked frantically. "Don't you remember? Nergal was the person who hired you and your friends to die! Don't you know that?"

"I wouldn't have died if the mercenary's guild had decided to send more people to accompany me! The _Guild _sent me to die so that I would be a martyr for the other Ilian villagers! I _will_ not die for some other person's sick reason!" Rachel retorted. "For all I know, _you_ could be trying to use me for some ulterior motive!"

"W-What?" Fiora looked stunned, unable to reply to Rachel's statement.

"Rachel…?" Florina spoke up, her soft voice quivery in the silence.

"Shut up, Florina! You shouldn't even be here! You're only an apprentice knight! You're not qualified for regular missions!" Rachel pointed her lance at Florina and the shy pegasus knight froze. "Go back home and _earn_ your right to fight with the best!"

"I don't know what's going on here, but I'd like it a lot if you would calm down for a while." The man stepped out, his hands palm forward in a gesture of peace. "Maybe we can resolve this in a peaceful manner. It wouldn't do to have more bloodshed."

"Maybe…" Rachel lowered her lance, gazing suspiciously at him.

"Good!" He clapped his hands cheerfully. "Now, how about we get our facts straight. Let's start at the beginning. Rachel, which I assume is you," He motioned towards Rachel, who nodded, "was hired by Nergal to eliminate Eliwood and his army, correct?"

"Yeah…"

"I believe you tried a surprise attack on the army when one of our archers spotted your descent and fired at your troops, correct? And then you retreated."

"After losing one of my fellow knights." Rachel said angrily, glaring at the man.

He looked pained. "I'm sorry, but that is the law of battle. People are going to die. Anyway, afterwards, Florina rose up to challenge your group and you, Rachel, left to take on Eliwood. That is where you met Fiora. You and Fiora fought for a while before an archer shot you down. You crashed into the ground and we believed you were dead. Apparently, we weren't correct in our assumption." He shrugged slightly and looked at Rachel. "Is that what you remember?"

"…" Rachel closed her eyes to recollect her thoughts. Her blurred memories of the battle were starting to become clearer and it seemed as if the man had been correct. As the vision of the battle sharpened, Rachel realized that their mediator had been the tactician that had ordered Eliwood's troops in battle. Her eyes snapped open and she took a step forward towards him, half-raising her lance again. "You…You were the tactician that was leading Eliwood's troops!"

He backed away, staring warily at Rachel's upraised lance. Fiora and Florina quickly stepped in front of him, blocking Rachel's progress. The tactician sighed and tapped Fiora on the shoulder. "It's okay. I don't believe she's actually going to kill me. You remember your thoughts easier now. Do you remember anything else about that day?"

"I remember…that our reinforcements never came…" Rachel offered unconsciously, speaking slowly. "I remember feeling that I was betrayed, that I had been ordered into battle to die. I…I remember seeing my friends dying all around me." Her mind snapped out of its dazed state and suddenly everything came rushing back into her mind. "I remember seeing Nergal's grin as he watched us go! I can see his smirk, laughing at us! As if he knew we were going to die out there!" She clutched her head in torment and staggered backwards, her lance dropping out of her hands.

"Rachel?" Fiora stepped forwards, but the tactician restrained her, shaking his head.

"Don't. This is her time."

"But…" Fiora looked at Rachel, who was shaking her head furiously, trying to clear out her mind from the cobwebs that had been haunting her for the past day.

"Agh!" Rachel fell to her knees, letting out a harsh scream. Her hands slipped off of her head and fell to the ground, hanging limply. "…I remember everything now."

Fiora cast a worried look at the tactician. He nodded wordlessly and she immediately dashed to Rachel's side, Florina in tow. Fiora put her arms around the younger girl, shaking her slightly. "Rachel? Rachel? Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" Rachel's hands balled into fists and she looked upwards, her green eyes blazing with anger and rage. "I'm perfectly fine." She shrugged Fiora off of her and stood up, grabbing her lance.

"Hold it. What are you doing?" The tactician stepped forward, his eyes narrowed with concern. "Stick with us. If you confront Nergal, I have no doubt that he will kill you. We can make everything work out. Let me just bring you to Eliwood and Hector and I'm certain they will accept you as a new soldier to our ranks. You'll be given enough money for anything you need."

"…" Rachel paused, remembering her younger brother at home. However, for the same reasons as earlier, she shook her head. "No. I can't do that. If people ever hear that I joined Eliwood's army, they will believe that I am a traitor. I cannot sacrifice the reputation of Ilia's knights for my own sake."

"To the abyss with reputation!" The tactician cursed. "Don't be an idiot! We can always change your name! Don't throw away your life! You owe everyone in Ilia that much! Which do you think they would prefer? A living soldier? Or a dead one?"

"In my case…" Rachel paused, not looking at him. "A dead one. I better leave right now. Just one question. What is your name?"

"My name?" He looked slightly outraged at the seemingly purposeless question. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Tell me." Rachel said. "I need to know."

"It's Theo." The tactician replied.

"Thank you." Rachel bowed briefly before turning to leave.

"Hey! Wait!" Theo yelled.

Rachel paused. "What?"

"Why are you doing this? Surely the decisions of one mercenary don't determine the decisions of every mercenary."

"In my case, it does. Now, let me go. I have no further words to discuss with you." Rachel left, leaving everyone else behind. Theo was about to chase after her when Fiora took him by the shoulder. He spun on her, his hazel eyes burning with confused anger.

"Please don't stop her. You're not from Ilia. You don't understand the situation she's in. If she were to join us, no matter what we could do, Nergal would certainly report this breach in her contract. Word would spread across Elibe and it wouldn't be long before everyone believed that Ilia's mercenaries don't honor their contracts. Her name would become reviled across Ilia. By going forward to die, Rachel is doing what she believes is best for Ilia, no matter how much it may hurt herself." Fiora threw a compassionate glance at the tactician.

"The best for Ilia, huh?" Theo spat on the ground. "Come on, Fiora, Florina. We can't do anything else here. Let's get back to camp. Just one thing, though…" He turned to face the two Ilians. "If I ever catch any of you trying to throw your life away for the 'good of Ilia', I swear, I will do everything in my power to stop you. I never liked seeing my friends die and I won't start liking it now."

_---_

Rachel sped towards Nergal's ruins, pushing her pegasus as fast as he could go. Her lance was gripped so tightly in her hands that her knuckles were white with strain and her eyes still smoldered as she remembered the treachery that had been wrought upon her by Nergal. Her earlier thoughts of gratitude towards the druid had vanished completely, replaced by a burning hatred that could only be appeased when he was dead.

When she arrived at Nergal's ruins, the druid himself was waiting for her, a knowing smirk on his face. Rachel immediately changed her course, aiming for the druid with a fierce expression of glee on her face as her lance plunged closer his heart. At the last second, however, her pegasus came to a complete stop, jolting Rachel off the reins and catapulting her off onto the hard stones. She used her momentum to get into a quick roll that enabled her to get back on her feet, albeit a bit unsteadily.

"Thyme? Why?" Rachel gasped, looking at her pegasus, who was now nuzzling Nergal's shoulder.

"Your pegasus is just grateful to me for saving his life. Don't worry. He's still your mount. He just won't attack me, that's all." Nergal said, smiling. "I see that you've remembered. Took long enough for your addled mind to get back on track."

Rachel said nothing as she charged at Nergal. However, she was unused to ground combat and Nergal was able to disarm her with a quick move that left Rachel stunned. Nergal snapped the lance in two and threw the broken pieces at her. "Silly girl. Don't think a weakling like you will be able to kill me. The only reason you're alive today is because I found your will to live very strong. I could just as easily kill you. And then your quintessence would be mine, easy to craft into a being who would follow my every command." He smiled wickedly and looked at Rachel appraisingly. "Of course, I find deceiving people much more satisfying. Don't you?"

Rachel screamed angrily and ran at Nergal again, swinging a fist as she tried to punch him. Nergal only laughed and grabbed Rachel's arm, planting a palm on Rachel's stomach. "Flux."

Rachel was immediately blasted away by the magic, crashing down hard on the stones. She spun to a stop, panting heavily as blood leaked out of an unseen wound on her stomach. The rest of her body was nicked with numerous scratches and cuts and her skin was growing a dangerously pale color. Nergal walked up to her, kneeling down and smirking. "You're fun to play with. I think I'll enjoy using you for a little bit longer."

He planted his palm on Rachel's stomach again, smiling pleasurably as he saw Rachel squirm under his grip. A golden light flowed out of his fingertips and slowly filtered into Rachel's body. Rachel quieted and lay still as the light continued to flow into her. Nergal removed his palm when he was done and smirked. "It certainly isn't as satisfying as before, but I think this will do. Rachel, arise."

Rachel's eyes snapped open and she slowly picked herself off of the ground. The wounds on her body had disappeared and her skin had regained its normal, healthy tone. The only difference was that her eyes, which normally shone with a vibrant, emerald color, were now duller, as if a transparent curtain covered them. Rachel licked her lips before looking at Nergal.

She bowed deeply, looking submissively at the druid. "I am at your command, Lord Nergal."

* * *

Chris: What will happen to Rachel next? And how will Fiora, Florina, and Theo cope with seeing Rachel under Nergal's control once again? And what about Callista and Samuel? You'll just have to wait until I update this again! Which shouldn't be long, actually… 

Leave a review please! Tell me whatcha think!


	4. Chapter 4: Endless Spirit

Chris: Well, here's the next chapter! What will happen with Rachel now? You'll be able to see it! And read it! So, onward, faithful readers!

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**Chapter 4: Endless Spirit**

"There it is. Dragon's Gate…" Theo breathed as he looked at the marvelous ruins in front of them, Even though it was worn with age, there still seemed to be some magical power that surrounded the ivy-covered stones. He flashed a reassuring grin towards Eliwood and Hector, flipping both of them a thumbs up. "All right! Let's go get your father, Eliwood!"

"Right!" Eliwood gripped the hilt of his sword tighter, preparing himself to rush inside the ruins to save his father. He dashed towards the cavernous entrance to the ruins, his bright blue eyes shining with determination as he crossed the threshold.

A javelin flew out of nowhere and clattered to the stones at his feet. Eliwood stopped suddenly, drawing his sword and holding it cautiously in front of him. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

"You cannot be allowed to be. No one can disturb my master, Nergal." A woman holding a spear walked in front of him, her dull green eyes gazing out at the assembled army. Her wheat-blond hair fell in messy ringlets that framed her face and she seemed to not notice anything else besides the army that stood in front of her. "You will all have to die."

"Rachel!" Fiora cried out from the air, spotting the pegasus knight from the skies. She immediately directed her pegasus downwards and dismounted, staring at Rachel in disbelief. "What are you _doing_? Why are you protecting Nergal?"

"He is my master. It is a servant's duty to protect her master." Rachel said tonelessly as her eyes flicked towards Fiora. She snapped her fingers once and suddenly the army was surrounded by troops from all sides. Eliwood grimaced and took a step backwards, his sword positioned diagonally in front of his body. He cast a worried look at the rest of his army. He, Hector, Lyn, Theo, and Fiora were currently surrounded by enemy soldiers while the rest of his troops were outside of the ring, desperately trying to find some way in.

Theo brought out his own sword, holding it unsteadily in front of him. It was a simple blade, one that matched the simple techniques of the wielder. He cast a quick look at Fiora before returning his attention back at Rachel. "I bet you anything that the bastard, Nergal, changed her into this unthinking machine."

"Ah, how astute." Nergal warped into the scene, appearing behind Rachel and enfolding the mindless knight within his robes. He gave a little chuckle and slowly ran a gloved finger across Rachel's neck, causing Theo and Fiora to shout at him angrily. Nergal ignored them and continued running a finger across Rachel's jawbone, smiling to himself as he saw that the knight didn't resist in any way. "Your friend truly is a lovely specimen, isn't she? She would have made a great morph if I didn't find it so entertaining to torture you all like this."

"Let her go!" Theo shouted.

"Ah, ah…Don't get ahead of yourself." Nergal said, smiling knowingly. He released Rachel from his grip and bowed mockingly to the assembled troops. "Anyway, I require some more time before I can fully appreciate your arrival, so Rachel will just have to attend to you. Rachel!" Nergal's smile grew darker and turned into a smirk. "Kill them all."

"At once, milord." Rachel said as Nergal warped away. "Soldiers, attack!"

The units that surrounded Eliwood and his friends charged, attacking in an orderly and frighteningly silent approach. Rachel watched from behind the horde, a placid smile on her face as she watched the battle unfold. Hector scored the first kill, his axe biting deep into a soldier's helm. He quickly yanked it out, cursing at the unnaturalness of their foes.

"Why don't they say anything?" Hector shouted. "This is creeping me out!" He swung his axe hard at another soldier, busting through the flimsy wooden shield and slicing off the arm that was holding the tattered remains.

"I don't know…" Theo grunted, raising his sword to parry a slash aimed at his neck. "But I know there's something unnatural about these troops."

"Enough talking! We have to get to Nergal!" Eliwood shouted, running his sword through the gap between his enemy's helm and breastplate. The lord grimaced as another soldier rose up in front of him. He swung his sword angrily, annoyed at the delay that prevented him from reaching his father.

"Hold on! We're coming!" Matthew shouted as he flipped over his enemy and threw his dagger backwards, piercing the neck. "Last for a little longer! And watch out for Raven! He's coming from your left!"

"Left! Got it!" Theo grunted as a lance thrust grazed his side, ripping through his robes and causing an angry, red gash to appear. He involuntarily fell to one knee, unused to the pain of combat. He frantically swung his sword at his opponent in a futile hope to drive him off, but to no avail as the soldier simply dodged his inaccurate strike and brought his lance down for a killing thrust. Before it could connect, however, a javelin flew from the sky and struck the soldier in the chest. Theo gave a grateful glance at Fiora before rising to his knees and continuing the battle.

Eventually, Eliwood's outside forces managed to pierce the outer circle of units and join up with Eliwood and the others. It was only a matter of minutes before only Rachel remained, the same smile on her face. The knight stepped forward, holding her lance in front of her and waiting for one of the assembled soldiers to attack. Eliwood and Hector exchanged glances before rushing at her, attempting to coordinate their attacks in order to catch her off guard.

"Wait! She's enchanted somehow! Don't attack!" Theo shouted, but his warning was in vain. Eliwood attacked first, a quick thrust that caused Rachel to sidestep right in the path of Hector's axe. However, Rachel flipped over Hector's axe and brought the wooden haft of her lance cracking against Hector's left shoulder. It was only because of his armor that the lord didn't suffer a dislocated shoulder. Even so, Hector's left arm was growing numb and he retreated, staring amazedly at Rachel.

"How can she do that? She can't be that strong." Hector asked incredulously.

"I told you! She must have been powered up by Nergal somehow. I don't think there is anyway to remove the enchantment. It probably has to do with the reason why she's acting like a mindless puppet." Theo said. "Let me give it a shot."

"What?" Hector's eyes widened. "You're a tactician! You're definitely not qualified for this kind of stuff!"

"Oh…Right…" Theo flushed self-consciously. "I forgot for a moment. Anyway, since it appears that Rachel won't move unless we make an attempt to get past her or attack her, let's see what we can do for a plan. Obviously, she's fast enough to avoid most conventional attacks. Hector, I hate to say it, but I think you're out of the battle for now."

Hector looked away, grumbling angrily to himself but admitting that he wasn't in the best shape to fight. "Fine, fine. But if you look like you're in trouble, I'm not going to ask your permission to enter the fray."

"Thanks." Theo looked at Rachel and shook his head. "I'm confused as to why she hasn't gone airborne yet. It would obviously provide her with a huge tactical advantage, yet she doesn't move a muscle."

"Maybe she's afraid we'll get past her while she's in the air?" Lyn offered, but Theo shook his head.

"No. That can't be right. It would be easy to intercept us. No…She's holding back. She's toying with us. I know it." Theo grimaced angrily. "I _hate_ that. Okay, here's the plan. Eliwood, attack from her left. Don't try to land any large hits. Just try to land something. Lyn, the moment her attention is diverted to Eliwood, you charge in from the right."

"But I tried that and it still didn't work!" Hector protested.

"Shhhh!" Theo hissed. "She might be mindless, but I still think she can hear us. Now, I'm changing it a little. I want Raven to go through the middle and Fiora will waiting to intercept her from behind. Hopefully, catching her in the net will be able to let us defeat her." He looked uncertain for a moment. "If you can, don't kill her. I want to speak to her first."

"You're the tactician." Hector shrugged. "Anyway, good luck everyone!"

Theo nodded at Eliwood and the red-haired lord began his attack, using his rapier to make quick thrusts that made Rachel keep moving to avoid any injuries. In a flash, Lyn was at Rachel's other side, drawing her blessed sword and cleaving downwards. Rachel used her lance to deflect Lyn's katana while continuously avoiding Eliwood attacks. Theo motioned to Raven, who let out a battle cry as he swung an axe at Rachel's lance, intending snap it in half. Rachel just smiled again and jumped backwards, where Fiora swooped down on her pegasus to spear Rachel on her lance. Rachel flipped over Fiora's head in an astounding feat of acrobatics, not letting out a sound. Theo looked on amazedly as Rachel vaulted on her pegasus, already set for battle.

"W-What?" Theo said, stunned that Rachel had been able to avoid every single attack that had been launched her way. "That can't be right…"

"Theo! Watch out!"

"Huh?" Theo looked upwards to see Rachel swooping down on him, a fierce grin on her face. He knew there was no way he would be able to avoid the strike, so at the last second, he managed to twist away to avoid the main brunt of the attack. Instead of plunging through his stomach, the lance pierced his shoulder, causing him to let out an agonized yell and fall to the ground.

"Priscilla! Serra!" Hector shouted, calling the two healers to his side. "Heal Theo! Now!"

Rachel had turned her pegasus around to attack Theo once again. Smiling wickedly, she positioned her lance so that it would strike straight through his heart. She flew downwards, ignoring everything around her besides the writhing man on the ground. That single-mindedness was her downfall as she didn't realize that Fiora had slowly been maneuvering on an intercept course. Thus, it was a great surprise when the teal-haired pegasus knight appeared in front of her.

"Rachel! Stop!" Fiora cried out, aiming her lance at Rachel's heart.

Suddenly, Rachel's head snapped upwards and her eyes regained their normal brightness. Her lance fell out of her nerveless hands as she saw Fiora charging at her and Rachel screamed, "Fiora!"

The shock was enough to jar Fiora's aim so that her spear lanced through Rachel's left arm and knocked Rachel off of her mount. The blond-haired knight crashed into the stones, coughing up blood as feeling flooded back through her limbs. She took in a deep breath of air, crying silently as her blood slowly leaked out of her wounds.

"Priscilla…" Theo coughed harshly, blood flecking his lips. "Please, you must heal her. She's just been controlled by Nergal. She didn't mean to do any of this."

Priscilla nodded and ran to Rachel's side. The healer softly placed the healing gem at the tip of her staff on Rachel's bleeding arm, causing the knight to let out a cry of pain. Murmuring a prayer, the gem glowed with a faint blue light and the wound on Rachel's arm closed. The knight calmed slightly as she took in another deep breath, shuddering slightly.

"Phew…" Theo staggered to his feet, clutching at his healed arm, which still ached with pain. "Thanks Serra."

"No problem!"

"Thank Elimine that we're finished here. Come on, Dragon's Gate is waiting." Theo turned to Eliwood. "Nergal certainly would have used the time that Rachel has given him. We'd better hurry." He looked back at Rachel and her pegasus, who was worriedly nosing Rachel's side. "I'll take care of those two. The rest of you go on ahead. Hurry! We don't have much time!"

"Right! Come on, Hector, Lyn!" Eliwood said, motioning to the two other lords. "Let's rescue my father!"

The rest of the army followed Eliwood into the ruins, except for Fiora, who was staring at Rachel's body in horror. Small tears were forming at the edges of her eyes and she couldn't say anything. The teal-haired commander slowly dismounted her pegasus, walking towards Rachel in a slight daze. Theo joined her and placed a compassionate hand on Fiora's shoulder.

"Don't worry. Priscilla's a good healer. Rachel will be just fine. She's just tired."

"I…I know that." Fiora whispered. "B-But…I did that. I nearly killed one of my friends. I never thought that…that somehow, I would actually try to kill her. Even when we fought earlier, I wasn't trying to kill her. But now…But I actually tried! I nearly killed her!" She turned to Theo, her eyes wide and shaking.

"…There was no stopping it. You were doing what you thought was best, protecting a friend from imminent danger. Besides, during that time, Rachel wasn't herself. She was under the control of Nergal's spell. In a way, you could think that you saved Rachel. If you hadn't tried to kill her, she might still be under the control of Nergal."

"T-Thanks!" Fiora snapped chokingly. "That really makes me feel better!"

Theo sighed. "I'm sorry…That was a callous thing to say. But you have to remember. You _didn't_ kill Rachel. At the last second, you changed the direction of your strike to hit her in the arm."

"B-But I didn't…"

"You changed your aim to hit Rachel in the arm." Theo said sternly. "That's what it looked like and that's how it will be. Now, come on. We have to get her to the infirmary tent that Merlinus will undoubtedly set up. You can get her pegasus. I can't handle animals very well. I'll carry Rachel on my back."

"Are you sure that will be okay?" Fiora asked, her rational nature coming back to her as she slowly recovered from the shock. "You were just injured."

"I can handle it." Theo scoffed. He looked down at Rachel and paused, his hands held out in awkward positions. "Wait…How am I supposed to grab her?"

"Let me show you." Fiora chuckled briefly and helped Theo lift the unconscious girl on his shoulders. As they walked back towards the others, Fiora gave Theo a grateful glance. "By the way, thanks."

Theo smiled back. "No problem."

_---_

The first thing that Rachel felt was an intense throbbing through her left arm. Groaning slightly, she opened her eyes and looked around, taking in the new sights. _'Where am I?'_

Rachel leaned forward on her bed, pushing back the plain white blankets that covered her body. Her surroundings were different, new, with some sort of aura that made her feel at peace. _'Obviously, someone rescued me…But who?'_ She tossed off the blankets and stood, feeling slightly refreshed.

"Ah, so you're awake."

"Huh?" Rachel turned to the voice and saw the flap of the tent open, admitting a brown-haired man of normal height. He smiled when he saw her and motioned to a couple of wooden stools nearby. Sitting down on one, he gazed at her with interested blue eyes.

"Theo, was it?"

"Ah, you remember my name!" Theo's smile widened slightly as he motioned to the seat again. "Please, take a seat. Don't worry. I won't do anything to harm you. I believe that last time, I actually tried to _stop_ you from doing something foolish."

Rachel blushed, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I just thought…"

"Yeah, well, don't think of doing anything stupid like that again." Theo said sternly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Anyway, I'm glad to see that we're pretty much in tip-top condition."

"We are?" Rachel asked quizzically.

"Oh, I meant you are." Theo chuckled. "I'm sorry about that."

"Hey, don't you have a battle to conduct or something?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, that…" Theo shrugged. "Actually, by now, Eliwood and the others know enough about tactics that they practically don't need me out on the field anymore. I draw out the basic plan and everyone else improvises for changing situations. Obviously not the most complex of plans, but so far it's worked out to my advantage." He raised an eyebrow. "But if you want me to leave, I certainly can."

Rachel shook her head. "No…No, I'd like you to stay. I haven't talked to someone so…earnest in a while. Not including my friends from Ilia…"

"Well, okay. What do you want to talk about, then?" Theo said.

"Can you tell me…why you seemed so adamant when you told me not to return to Nergal? It's puzzling. Nobody has reacted that strongly to me before. I'm just a mercenary. There's plenty of others like me. Why should you care?"

Theo shook his head. "That's where you're wrong. There's only one Rachel that I know and that's you. No matter who you are, how low or high you may be, you are irreplaceable. I cannot find another knight who would go so willingly to her death on the concept of honor. Sure, I wouldn't doubt for a second that Fiora or Florina would do so, but there seems to be some other angle that you're getting at. The reason you're fighting is more…personal, right?"

Rachel started in surprise and looked at Theo. "How'd you know that?"

"It just seems to be the way you carry yourself. I don't know, just call it a hunch. I'm usually good with those." Theo shrugged, blushing slightly. "Anyway, if you don't mind, would you tell me why you fight?"

"Well…" Rachel looked thoughtful. "Half of the reason is Fiora. She's always been an inspiration to me…I've always looked on her as a sort of hero, I guess. When I grew up, my parents would tell me all about her and her adventures to help save Ilia. When I grew up, I joined the Knights so I could be just like her. The other half is for my brother, Samuel. He recently got sick and I've been trying to scrape up the money to get him healed. He's the only family I have left…" Rachel murmured.

"But why am I telling you that?" She laughed awkwardly. "Surely you aren't interested in my affairs."

"Actually, I'm quite interested." Theo replied. "Such loyalty…Such loyalty to country and family. It usually can only be found in the hearts of heroes such as Eliwood, Hector, and Lyn. Utter dedication to others, ignoring whatever may happen to yourself." He quirked a small smile. "That's really admirable, Rachel…I really like that."

"O-Oh…Thanks…" Rachel said. "Um…What about you? Why are you still fighting?"

"I don't know actually…" Theo scratched at the back of his head. "I guess it's just because I have to. I mean, I guess there's no specific reason. It just feels right. Another one of my hunches, I guess."

"Theo?" Rachel's voice was soft, confused.

"Hmmm?" Theo looked up and saw that Rachel was leaning closer to him. "What is it, Rachel?"

"Why? …I've always wondered…Why do people do the things they do? Why do I continue living in Ilia, even though I've always wanted to leave? Why do people fight? I don't know why, Theo. Can you tell me?"

"…I don't know myself…" Theo replied. "It's just something in the human mind…Something that demands victory, dominance. Why would you live in Ilia, other than to prove that it's possible? Why do you fight, other than to show that you are stronger than someone else? Human instinct to feel superior, I guess." Theo laughed lightly. "We always wanted to prove we were better than the common animal."

"And why…? Why do people fall in love?" Rachel's voice had dipped lower and Theo had to strain to hear her voice. "Why do I feel like holding you? Why do I feel like never letting you leave my sight? Why do I feel like I need to stay with you forever?"

"R-Rachel…" Theo stammered, caught off guard by her question. He felt Rachel's hands clasp his shoulders and he felt the heat rush up to his cheeks. "Rachel…"

"Please…answer me. We've only met…And we've only talked to each other twice? Why do I feel this way?" Rachel got off of her chair and slowly moved towards Theo, pulling the tactician closer to her.

"I…" Theo gulped. "I don't know…But I know that I don't want to lose you. I know that…that I found your courage and dedication so…beautiful."

"Why…?" Rachel whispered one last time. Not giving Theo a chance to answer, she softly placed her lips on his, moving her hands from his shoulders to the middle of his back. Theo closed his eyes, savoring the kiss. He ran a hand through her tangled, wheat-blond hair, simply relishing the sensations that ran through his body. He wanted the feeling to last forever, but eventually they had to separate.

"U-Um…" Theo blushed heavily. "I…I have to get back to Eliwood. I'll be back. Just…Just stay here and don't do anything dangerous, okay?" He smiled briefly. "I still want to see you when I return." He dashed out of the tent, his face still as red as a ripe tomato. Rachel watched him leave, a disappointed smile on her face.

"Bye Theo…It was nice meeting you. But…I can't ever forget my anger, my rage. I…I'm sorry…" Rachel ran out of the tent, searching for her trusted lance. She didn't want to betray Theo's trust like this, but she could never truly rest until she saw that Nergal was dead and that she had done something to do make him suffer. Rachel spotted a javelin lying on a cluster of weapons. She quickly picked it up and raced towards the Dragon's Gate. Her work wasn't finished yet.

_---_

"Nergal, you bastard!" Eliwood shouted as he faced the triumphant druid. "Stop your evil schemes!"

"Like you can tell me what to do!" Nergal laughed again. "Besides, since you were so kind to deliver Ninian to me, I think I should allow you to witness the power you have just unleashed! Ninian! Open the Dragon's Gate!"

"NO!" Eliwood shouted, but the dancer paid no attention to him. Ninian slowly walked towards the Dragon's Gate, her blood-eyes faded and dull. Hector didn't wait for Ninian to wake up from the spell. He simply raised his axe and charged at Nergal, reasoning that the simple solutions were often the best.

"Jaffar!" Nergal shouted.

Hector stopped his charge when a black-cloaked man dropped in front of him, holding a pair of bloody daggers in his hands. Hector's expression grew furious as he saw the dripping blood on the dagger blades. He raised his axe again, his eyes blazing with hatred. "You killed Leila!"

"No, you musn't!"

"Father!" Eliwood turned at the voice to his father, Lord Elbert, run up to them. Elbert shook his head rapidly at Hector.

"Don't! He is too skilled for you now! Hector, retreat!"

"Grrr…" Hector backed away slightly, still holding his axe out in front of him. "Then what do we do? We can't allow him to open the gate!"

"You have no choice, boy!" Nergal shouted. "Ninian! Enough waiting! Open the gate!"

"Yes…Master…" Ninian whispered as she looked at the gate, a towering stone arch decorated with carvings of various creatures. She opened her arms wide and began speaking. "Children of the flame…Come to me…Heed the call…"

An orange light sparked in the center of the gate, slowly spiraling in a huge circle that slowly overtook the whole opening. Huge roars erupted from the gate and the lords were pushed back by the sound alone. Eliwood put an arm above his eyes, squinting at the blinding light that was erupting in front of him.

"No! We can't let him succeed!"

"There has to be something we can do!" Theo looked around wildly, trying to piece together a reasonable plan in the time they had left. "Somebody must stop Nergal's spell! I'm certain any wound will interrupt the spell and allow Ninian to snap out of it!"

"Nergal!" A loud, confident voice echoed through the halls, overcoming the ferocious roars of the dragons for a moment.

Theo felt his heart plummet and he turned. "No, Rachel! What are you doing? I told you to stay behind!"

"I'm sorry, Theo…" Rachel offered a heartbroken smile before returning her attention back towards Nergal. "Nergal! This is where you pay for your treachery to my friends!" She hefted the javelin she held her hands and smiled. "Revenge!" She did a quick hop-skip and threw the weapon with all of her might. Nergal quickly dodged out of the way, feeling the javelin rip through his robes. His eyes narrowed and he pointed at her.

"Jaffar! Kill her!"

Like a flash, the assassin disappeared, only to reappear behind the knight. Before anyone could react, one of Jaffar's arms was wrapped around Rachel's neck and he had lifted her into the air. With one quick thrust, he plunged a dagger through her back, straight to her heart.

Rachel gasped, feeling something burst inside of her body. She could dimly feel the pain, but other than that, nothing. There were no sounds, no sights…just a calming darkness. She felt her whole body grow cold and she knew that this time, she was truly going to die. _'I'm sorry, Theo…'_

Jaffar released her. Rachel was dead before her body hit the ground.

_---_

"**_NO!"_** Theo let out an agonized scream as he saw Rachel's body fall to the ground. **_"NO!" _**He sank to his knees, shaking.

While everyone's attention was focused on Jaffar, Lord Elbert took his chance. Drawing a sword he managed to confiscate, he charged at Nergal and managed to drive the weapon through the druid's chest, smiling in victory as he saw the druid flinch in surprise.

"Huh? What's going on?" Color returned to Ninian's eyes and she looked around quizzically. With the spell gone, Ninian had ceased opening the Dragon's Gate, setting off a chain of reactions that shook the whole ruins. With the portal closing, the dragons trapped behind it were justifiably angry and their roars reverberated around the ruins, shaking off loose stonework and causing a miniature earthquake. The earthquake further triggered more collapsing of the ruins, with dust and huge chunks of stone falling from the ceiling.

"Damn you, Elbert! I will kill you!" Nergal thrust his hand around Elbert's throat and squeezed tightly. "I will use your quintessence to craft me a monster than will tear apart Lycia, all because of you!"

"Father!" Eliwood cried out, running towards his father.

"Grr…" Nergal threw Elbert's body at Eliwood before turning to Jaffar. "Come! We must leave before this whole place collapses on us!" The druid warped away, right before a huge chunk of stone crashed into the same place where he had been standing.

"Father! Father!" Eliwood shook his father brokenly, tears running tracks down his eyes.

"Eliwood…You must go…" Elbert breathed, his skin growing dangerously pale. "There's no time…"

"Come on, Eliwood! I've got him." Hector lifted Elibert's too-light body onto his shoulders. "We've got to escape!"

Eliwood snapped back to his senses. "Right! Come on, Ninian!" He took the dancer's hand and rushed for the exit, feeling the ground behind him shake. They rushed back Theo, who was still on the ground, uncomprehending. "Theo! We have to leave!"

"Rachel…" Theo whispered to himself. He shook his head furiously and stood up. "Yeah, you're right. I'll be there in a second." Eliwood paused, waiting for Theo, who just glared at the lord and waved him off. "You can always find a different tactician! There's only one Eliwood! NOW GO!"

"Fine, but I'll be waiting for you!" Eliwood shouted before running off with Ninian.

Heaving a sigh, Theo knelt down to Rachel's pale face and brushed aside a strand of hair. "Why…There's only one of you, Rachel…There's only one." He slowly picked her limp body in his arms and walked out of Dragon's Gate. He didn't bother watching as the ruins collapsed from behind him.

_---_

Afterwards, Lord Elbert soon succumbed and died due to Nergal's magic. The demoralized army traveled back to the mainland, where Theo paid a couple of clerics to transport Rachel's body back to Ilia, so that she could be buried in her homeland. Paying the clerics a couple of extra coin to make sure that the body wouldn't decay on the long trip, he returned to Eliwood's army to resume his official duties as tactician. There was no change in the tactician, other than a certain wistfulness that came to his eyes whenever he took time off for himself.

After the war, Theo traveled to Ilia to visit Rachel's grave. Once there, he met up with a friend of Rachel's, Callista, and the two of them went to a local tavern to relate stories about their friend. The fact that they had a common connection in Rachel brought the two closer and it wasn't long before the two of them were married. The two of them unofficially adopted Samuel as their son and using the money that Rachel had left behind, were able to ensure that he would have a good education in Etruria learning about the complexities of magic.

_---_

_Ten years later…_

"Theo…You're thinking of her again, aren't you?"

Theo turned around to face his wife, a smile on his lips. Callista was standing in front of him, a knowing smile on her youthful face as she regarded the former tactician. She had let her hair grow out in the past years and now it reached her waist, a shining purple curtain. Her brown eyes twinkled with the same merriness that she had retained throughout all the years, although it was tempered with sorrow and experience. "Yes…I am, Callista."

"You still love her, don't you?" Callista walked up to Theo and stood next to him, staring out at the landscape of Ilia.

"No…You know that I only love you, Callista." Theo gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "No…It's not that. I just miss her sometimes. She's not easy to forget."

"No…She isn't." Callista replied. "Did you hear about Samuel? He got accepted into the Etrurian Council for Higher Magics. He sounded so excited in his letter, it seemed as if he was standing right next tome. He always was excited about achieving new things."

"Hehe, I know…" Theo chuckled, still looking out. A knock on the door disturbed him from his reverie and he opened the door, revealing a young girl that immediately leaped into her father's arms. He let out a big whoof of strain and slowly carried her to the living room, where he deposited her on a couch. "Whoo…You're getting heavy."

"That's mean, daddy!" She hit Theo lightly on the arm, pouting a bit. Theo laughed, ruffling her hair, colored a strange combination of purple and brown that bordered on a black color. Her blue eyes shined with enthusiasm and excitement as she took off the thigh-high boots that she was wearing.

"So, how was the academy today, Rachel?" Theo smiled down at his daughter.

"Yeah, tell us all about it." Callista walked up to the couch and looked down at Rachel, smiling broadly.

"It was so fun! They let us ride the pegasi for a while! The instructors said that I flew so well that I could become one of the best pegasus knights that Ilia has ever seen!" Rachel smiled excitedly at her parents. "Do you think I'll be a good pegasus knight?"

"Of course I do!" Theo said, picking up his daughter. "You see, you're named after a very brave woman. And I'm certain that you will be just as brave and strong as she was, right?"

Rachel nodded happily. "Yep!"

* * *

Chris: Ahem, I am sorry to say that this fic is now completed. Probably a world's record for me, finishing a story this quickly. Anyway, I had a lot of fun toying around with this story idea and I hoped you had just as much fun reading it! Please review and tell me what you thought of this chapter or this story as a whole! Thank you all for reading! 


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